No. 626 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 626 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force
from 1943 to 1945.
The squadron was formed on 7 November 1943 at RAF Wickenby
from C Flight of No. 12 Squadron
. It operated in the strategic bombing role with the Avro Lancaster
. It was disbanded on 14 October 1945, having spent the last months of the war on food droppings (Operation Manna) and transport duties (Operation Exodus), repatriating former prisoners of war and briging British troops home from Italy.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
from 1943 to 1945.
History
RAF Wickenby
RAF Wickenby was a purpose built bomber base constructed late 1942 and early 1943. It lies halfway between Wickenby and Holton cum Beckering, to the south-east of Wickenby close to the B1399 in West Lindsey, north-east of Lincoln.-Construction:...
from C Flight of No. 12 Squadron
No. 12 Squadron RAF
No. 12 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth.-History:No. 12 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed in February 1915 from a flight of No. 1 Squadron RFC at Netheravon. The squadron moved to France in September 1915 and operated a variety of aircraft...
. It operated in the strategic bombing role with the Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
. It was disbanded on 14 October 1945, having spent the last months of the war on food droppings (Operation Manna) and transport duties (Operation Exodus), repatriating former prisoners of war and briging British troops home from Italy.
Last mission before V.E. day
7 May 1945- 19 Lancasters dropped supplies to the Dutch in RotterdamRotterdamRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 1943 | October 1945 | Avro Lancaster Avro Lancaster The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other... |
Mks. I & III |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| November 1943 | October 1945 | RAF Wickenby RAF Wickenby RAF Wickenby was a purpose built bomber base constructed late 1942 and early 1943. It lies halfway between Wickenby and Holton cum Beckering, to the south-east of Wickenby close to the B1399 in West Lindsey, north-east of Lincoln.-Construction:... , Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders... |